Apparatus with a foldable lens assembly

ABSTRACT

An apparatus with a foldable lens assembly includes a base having a receiving space for receive a solar powered charger. At least one lifting device is movably disposed on the base. A lens assembly is connected to the at least one lifting device so as to be driven upwardly/downwardly relative to the base by the at least one lifting device. The lens assembly comprises a main condensing lens and two auxiliary condensing lenses respectively connected to two sides of the main condensing lens. When the lens assembly is driven upwardly by the at least one lifting device and the two auxiliary condensing lenses are pivotally rotated to be co-planar with the main condensing lens, the main condensing lens and the two auxiliary condensing lenses are configured in an unfolding position for converging incident solar radiation to the solar powered charger.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus with a lens assembly, and more particularly, the lens assembly is unfolded for efficiently collecting solar radiation or folded for easy storage.

2. Description of Related Art

Energy crisis has become an issue of concern in the recent decades, and has consequently led to interest on seeking for an alternate energy source. Solar energy, with its consistency and accessibility, has become a developing emphasis of the alternate energy source. The utilization of solar energy is therefore developed and is widely adapted in various industries. One common mean for utilizing solar energy is to collect solar energy and convert the collected solar energy to electric power.

A conventional solar energy collector comprises a holder, an optical condenser securely connected on the holder, and a photovoltaic cell placed on the holder. The photovoltaic cell is mounted substantially parallel to the optical condenser and placed about midway between the optical condenser and a focus of the optical condenser. The optical condenser can increase the effective area of the photovoltaic cell and increase the output power of existing photovoltaic cells.

However, though the effective area and the output power of the photovoltaic cell are increased by the application of the optical condenser, a drawback of the conventional solar energy collector is that the optical condenser is fixed on the holder and is unable to be detached from the holder. This is not space-saving. Moreover, the optical condenser has a fixed size to collect sun lights, such that the conventional solar energy collector is unable to efficiently collect more incident sun light if needed. Therefore, the conventional solar energy collector is inconvenient to use.

The present invention has arisen to obviate/mitigate the disadvantages of the conventional apparatus for converging solar radiation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a foldable apparatus for converging solar radiation comprises a base having a receiving space defined therein for adapting to receive a solar powered charger. The base has at least one elongated groove defined therein. At least one lifting device is movably received in the at least one elongated groove of the base. The at least one lifting device has an inner lever and an outer lever pivotally connected to each other by a pivot pin. The inner lever and outer lever are movably connected to the base.

A lens assembly is movably connected to the inner lever and the outer lever of the at least one lifting device. The lens assembly is located above the receiving space of the base, such that the lens assembly is able to be driven upwardly/downwardly relative to the base by the at least one lifting device. The lens assembly comprises a main condensing lens and two auxiliary condensing lenses respectively connected to two opposite sides of the main condensing lens. The main condensing lens has four first hinge portions respectively formed on four corners thereof. Each of the two auxiliary condensing lenses has two second hinge portions respectively formed on two corners thereof and correspondingly located to two of the four first hinge portions in the same side of the main condensing lens. Each second hinge portion is movably hinged to the corresponding first hinge portion by a hinge pin, such that each auxiliary condensing lens is hinged to the main condensing lens and pivotally rotated relative to the main condensing lens. The main condensing lens has a size corresponding to a size of the base, such that the lens assembly is able to be exactly stored on the base as the two auxiliary condensing lenses are folded to cover on the main condensing lens.

When the lens assembly is driven upwardly relative to the base by the at least one lifting device and the two auxiliary condensing lenses are pivotally rotated to be co-planar with the main condensing lens, the main condensing lens and the two auxiliary condensing lenses are configured in an unfolding position for adapting to efficiently converge incident solar radiation to the solar powered charger. When the two auxiliary condensing lenses are pivotally rotated to cover on the main condensing lens and the lens assembly is driven downwardly relative to the base by the at least one lifting device, the main condensing lens and the two auxiliary condensing lenses are configured in a folding position for being easily stored.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an apparatus with a foldable lens assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the apparatus with a foldable lens assembly in accordance with the present invention as the lens assembly is in a folding position;

FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the apparatus with a foldable lens assembly in accordance with the present invention as the lens assembly is in an unfolding position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus with a foldable lens assembly in accordance with the present invention as the unfolded lens assembly is lifted upwardly by the at least one lifting device;

FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the apparatus with a foldable lens assembly in accordance with the present invention shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the apparatus with a foldable lens assembly in accordance with the present invention as a solar powered charger is placed under the lens assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings to FIGS. 1-6, an apparatus with a foldable lens assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a base 1 which is substantially rectangular shaped and has a receiving space 10 defined therein for receiving a solar powered charger 5 (shown in FIG. 6). The base 1 has two elongated grooves 11 respectively defined in two opposite sides thereof and longitudinally located adjacent to the receiving space 10. An inner longitudinal wall 12 of each elongated groove 11 has two recesses 120 spacedly defined therein and extending therethrough. Each elongated groove 11 communicates with the receiving space 10 via the two recesses 120. An outer longitudinal wall 13 of each elongated groove 11 which is opposite to the inner longitudinal wall 12 has two first guiding grooves 130 laterally defined therein and extending therethrough. The two first guiding grooves 130 of the outer longitudinal wall 13 of each elongated groove 11 respectively correspond to the two recesses 120 of the inner longitudinal wall 12 of the same elongated groove 11. An assisting member 4 is pivotally connected to a bottom of the base 1. The assisting member 4 is able to pivotally rotate relative to the base 1.

Two lifting devices 2 are movably and respectively received in the two elongated grooves 11 of the base 1. Each lifting device 2 has an inner lever 21 and an outer lever 20 pivotally connected to each other at their middles by a pivot pin 22. Each inner lever 21 has a first end 211 and a second end 212 opposite to the first end 211. Each outer lever 20 has a first end 201 and a second end 202 opposite to the first end 201. Four slidable pins 23 are respectively secured to the first ends 201 of the two outer levers 20 and the second ends 212 of the two inner levers 21. Each slidable pin 23 passes through the corresponding first guiding groove 130 for sliding along the corresponding first guiding groove 130.

A lens assembly 3 is connected to the two lifting devices 2 and disposed above the receiving space 10 of the base 1. The lens assembly 3 comprises a main condensing lens 30 and two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 respectively connected to two opposite sides of the main condensing lens 30.

The main condensing lens 30 has four first hinge portions 301 respectively formed on four corners thereof. Each corner of the main condensing lens 30 has a slot 302 defined therein and located adjacent to the first hinge portion 301. Each of the two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 has two second hinge portions 310 respectively formed on two corners thereof and correspondingly located to two of the four slots 302 in the same side of the main condensing lens 30. Each second hinge portion 310 of the two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 is received in the corresponding slot 302 and movably hinged to the corresponding first hinge portion 301 by a hinge pin 32, such that the two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 are pivotally connected to the main condensing lens 30.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 are pivotally rotated to cover on a top of the main condensing lens 30, the main condensing lens 30 and the two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 are configured in a folding position. The main condensing lens 30 has a size corresponding to a size of the base 1, such that the lens assembly 3 is able to be exactly stored on the base 1 as the two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 are folded to cover on the top of the main condensing lens 30. As shown in FIG. 3, when the two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 are pivotally rotated to be co-planar with the main condensing lens 30, the main condensing lens 30 and the two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 are configured in an unfolding position.

A bottom of the main condensing lens 30 has four protrusions 33 formed thereon and extending downwardly to the base 1. The four protrusions 33 are respectively located corresponding to the four recesses 120 of the base 1. Each protrusion 33 has a second guiding groove 330 defined therein and extending therethrough. Four slidable pins 23 are respectively secured to the second ends 202 of the two outer levers 20 and the first ends 211 of the two inner levers 21. Each slidable pin 23 slidably passes through the corresponding second guiding groove 330 of the protrusions 33 for sliding along the corresponding second guiding groove 330. Therefore, the four slidable pins 23 secured to the first ends 201 of the two outer levers 20 and the second ends 212 of the two inner levers 21 correspondingly slide along the four first guiding grooves 130 of the base 1, and the four slidable pins 23 secured to the second ends 202 of the two outer levers 20 and the first ends 211 of the two inner levers 21 correspondingly simultaneously slide along the four second guiding grooves 330 of the main condensing lens 30. The lens assembly 3 is able to be driven upwardly/downwardly relative to the base 1 by the two lifting devices 2.

The operation of the apparatus with a foldable lens assembly in accordance with the present invention will be described in detailed below. The inner lever 21 and the outer lever 20 of each lifting device 2 are parallelly disposed and received in the corresponding elongated groove 11 of the base 1. The two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 cover on the top of the main condensing lens 30. The main condensing lens 30 and the two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 are configured in the folding position, such that the lens assembly 3 is easily stored on the base 1.

As shown in FIG. 6, the two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 are pivotally rotated relative to the main condensing lens 30, and the main condensing lens 30 and the two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 are configured in the unfolding position. The lens assembly 3 is driven upwardly relative to the base 1 by the two lifting devices 2. The solar powered charger 5 is placed in the receiving space 10 of the base 1. The lens assembly 3 efficiently collects and converges incident solar radiation to the solar powered charger 5 for producing electricity. After charging, the two auxiliary condensing lenses 31 are folded on the top of the main condensing lens 30, and the lens assembly 3 is driven downwardly relative to the base 1 by the two lifting devices 2 for being easily stored.

Although the invention has been explained in relations to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. An apparatus with a foldable lens assembly comprising: a base having a receiving space defined therein for adapting to receiving a solar powered charger; at least one lifting device movably disposed on the base; and a lens assembly connected to the at least one lifting device and located above the receiving space of the base, such that the lens assembly is able to be driven upwardly/downwardly relative to the base by the at least one lifting device, the lens assembly comprising a main condensing lens and two auxiliary condensing lenses respectively connected to two opposite sides of the main condensing lens, the two auxiliary condensing lenses pivotally rotated relative to the main condensing lens; wherein when the lens assembly is driven upwardly relative to the base by the at least one lifting device and the two auxiliary condensing lenses are pivotally rotated to be co-planar with the main condensing lens, the main condensing lens and the two auxiliary condensing lenses are configured in an unfolding position for adapting to efficiently converge incident solar radiation to the solar powered charger; when the two auxiliary condensing lenses are pivotally rotated to cover on the main condensing lens and the lens assembly is driven downwardly relative to the base by the at least one lifting device, the main condensing lens and the two auxiliary condensing lenses are configured in a folding position for being easily stored.
 2. The apparatus with a foldable lens assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main condensing lens has four first hinge portions respectively formed on four corners thereof, each of the two auxiliary condensing lenses having two second hinge portions respectively formed on two corners thereof and correspondingly located to two of the four first hinge portions in the same side of the main condensing lens, each second hinge portion movably hinged to the corresponding first hinge portion by a hinge pin, such that each auxiliary condensing lens is pivotally connected to the main condensing lens.
 3. The apparatus with a foldable lens assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main condensing lens has a size corresponding to a size of the base, such that the lens assembly is able to be exactly stored on the base as the two auxiliary condensing lenses are folded to cover on the main condensing lens.
 4. The apparatus with a foldable lens assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base has at least one elongated groove defined therein for receiving the at least one lifting device.
 5. The apparatus with a foldable lens assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one lifting device has an inner lever and an outer lever pivotally connected to each other by a pivot pin. 